"If you don't kill Hirakawa Aoshi today, you won't have a good time in the future either!"
Realizing they were no match for Aoshi, the elder could only shout in desperation, trying to force Orochimaru to act.
Once those words were spoken, even if Orochimaru didn't want to move, he no longer had a choice.
He simply refused to believe that even with his chakra sealed, Aoshi could still stand against Orochimaru, one of Konoha's legendary Sannin.
Before the echo of his voice had even faded, several figures suddenly appeared, intercepting Aoshi's strike and shielding Mui.
Naturally, this was Orochimaru's doing. He didn't step in personally—instead, he summoned reanimated ninjas to stall Aoshi.
Their strength wasn't overwhelming.
In an instant, Aoshi's blade flashed, cutting through their bodies and forcing them into a stiff state as they regenerated.
But in that brief opening, Mui managed to retreat and escape. At that moment, his face was pale with fear.
Before today, Mui had always believed that even if Hirakawa Aoshi was strong, the gap between them couldn't be that large.
After all, they were both jōnin. How big could the difference really be?
Only now did he realize just how wrong he had been. If Aoshi's chakra hadn't been sealed, his life would have ended in an instant.
For a fleeting moment, a terrifying thought crossed Mui's mind—had this entire plan been a mistake?
But when he saw Orochimaru appear together with a group of Root operatives, he finally let out a breath of relief.
At least… they had powerful reinforcements.
"Hehehe… Aoshi-kun, you've truly exceeded my expectations," Orochimaru said, his eyes flashing with killing intent.
"Even with your chakra sealed, you still possess such terrifying strength."
Now that things had reached this point, there was only one option left—Aoshi had to die.
"Orochimaru… and Root…" Nono, standing protectively in front of Kurenai and the others, wore a grim expression.
"So the mastermind is Danzo." She never expected that, even from prison, Danzo was still pulling the strings.
"Sister Nono… is Orochimaru really that strong?"
"And… who exactly are Root and Danzo?"
Although Orochimaru was known as one of the Three Legendary Sannin, only experienced ninjas truly understood how terrifying he was.
To younger ninjas like Kurenai—especially those who had just graduated—the name they knew best was Hirakawa Aoshi, Konoha's hero.
After the war, Orochimaru had largely vanished from public view, devoting himself to secret research.
As for Danzo and Root—those who lived in the shadows—not only Kurenai and the others, but even many veteran ninjas knew nothing about them.
At this moment, Nono had no time to explain. She only watched Aoshi with worry in her eyes.
In this situation… could Brother Aoshi really turn the tide? Yet she stayed calm.
She knew very well that with her own strength, she was no match for Orochimaru and Root. Her expertise lay in intelligence and medical ninjutsu.
Charging in blindly would only make things worse.
Right now, the best thing she could do was protect Kurenai, Rin, and Shizune, and make sure she didn't distract Aoshi.
Seeing Orochimaru and Root appear, Aoshi showed no surprise at all. He had anticipated this long ago.
"Orochimaru," he said coldly, "so you've decided to betray Konoha."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Heh… as long as you die here today, Lord Aoshi, no one will ever know the truth."
Even if the old man discovered something later, would he really move against a living, Kage-level powerhouse for the sake of the dead?
That was exactly why Orochimaru dared to act without restraint.
Without wasting another word, Aburame Ryoma raised his hand and gave the signal.
The Root operatives moved instantly. As assassins who lived in the shadows, they were far more dangerous than the elders of Kusagakure.
To them, the mission came first. No matter who the target was, they would strike without hesitation—even at the cost of their own lives.
To ensure there were no accidents, Aburame Ryoma stepped forward as well.
He thrust both hands outward—and in the next instant, a dark swarm of Kikaichū burst forth, blotting out the sky.
This was the signature combat style of the Aburame Clan.
They raised the insects within their own bodies, feeding them chakra and commanding them in battle.
To be chosen as Danzo's personal guard, Aburame Ryoma's strength was unquestionably among the best in his clan.
"Haha! Hirakawa Aoshi, you're finished this time!"
The elders of Kusagakure—who had been terrified moments ago—now wore triumphant expressions.
It was as if they could already see Aoshi's defeat.
Aoshi snorted coldly. No longer hiding his power, he shattered the seal of Fire Release: Heavenly Prison in an instant.
Then, forming a one-handed seal, he unleashed—Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
This was the technique he had once learned from Mikoto.
In the next moment, a raging sea of flames erupted, swallowing the Root operatives and the swarm of Kikaichū whole.
The inferno even surged toward Orochimaru and the others.
With Aoshi's current strength, the power of this technique was no weaker than that of the reanimated Madara.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted sharply.
His hands moved at once. Water Release: Water Wall!
He raised a defensive barrier, but even that couldn't fully stop the flames.
Only when the elders of Kusagakure joined in did they barely manage to block the attack.
The scene darkened Orochimaru's expression. He, who sought to master every jutsu in existence, had just been outmatched by Aoshi in pure ninjutsu.
At the same time, Mui stared in disbelief. "How is this possible? He actually broke free from Fire Release: Heavenly Prison?!"
As the lord of Hozuki Castle, Mui had used that technique on countless prisoners.
Not once had anyone escaped it—until now.
"H-How terrifying…" Kurenai and the others gasped in shock.
Such overwhelming power had completely surpassed their understanding.
Remembering the Fire Release techniques used by Asuma and Obito in the past, they couldn't help but question everything they thought they knew.
Was this… really the power a ninja could possess?
As the steam finally cleared, the battlefield came back into view.
The Root operatives were burned and battered—and Aoshi stood unscathed.
Seeing this, the elders of Kusagakure exchanged stunned looks. "How… how can you be this strong?!"
They could hardly accept what they were seeing. Deep down, a faint trace of regret surfaced in their hearts.
Ignoring their reactions, Aoshi tightened his grip on his blade and charged straight at Orochimaru.
This time, he would not give him another chance to escape.
Orochimaru reacted instantly.
He opened his mouth, spitting out a massive snake—and from the snake's jaws emerged the Kusanagi Sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In just a few exchanges, the two erupted into a fierce, breathtaking duel.
"I… I can't even see their movements," Kurenai whispered, cold sweat running down her face. "Is this… what a battle between top-level ninjas looks like?"
Rin and Shizune stood frozen, completely speechless.
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